2024 Booker Prize: British author Samantha Harvey's ‘Orbital’ wins

London: British author Samantha Harvey has won the 2024 Booker Prize for her novel 'Orbital', which becomes the first book set in space to win the prestigious GBP 50,000 literary award. The announcement was made during a ceremony at Old Billingsgate in London on Tuesday evening.

'Orbital', the biggest-selling book on this year’s shortlist in the UK, is set over a single day aboard the International Space Station. The novel follows six astronauts and cosmonauts who witness 16 sunrises and sunsets while observing Earth’s changing landscapes and seasons. Judges praised it as a compact yet expansive novel that invites readers to appreciate the beauty of Earth while reflecting on the individual and collective value of human life.

“I originally thought, 'Why on earth would anybody want to hear from a woman at her desk in Wiltshire writing about space, imagining what it's like being in space when people have actually been there'," said Harvey, who dedicated her award to those who "speak for and not against the Earth." She referred to her novel as “space pastoral,” comparing it to nature writing that explores the beauty of space.

At just 136 pages, 'Orbital' is the second-shortest book ever to win the Booker Prize and covers the shortest time frame, taking place within a single 24-hour period.

Judge Edmund de Waal, artist and author, praised the novel’s lyricism, calling it "a novel propelled by the beauty of 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets." He said the novel reflects the fragility of borders and time zones while presenting the world in a new light.

The 2024 Booker Prize panel also included British Indian musician Nitin Sawhney, novelist Sara Collins, 'The Guardian' fiction editor Justine Jordan, and writer Yiyun Li.

This year’s shortlist featured a strong female presence, with Rachel Kushner’s 'Creation Lake', Anne Michaels’ 'Held', Charlotte Wood’s 'Stone Yard Devotional', and Yael van der Wouden’s 'The Safekeep', along with American Percival Everett’s 'James'. Each of the shortlisted authors received GBP 2,500 and a bespoke edition of their book.

The 2023 Booker Prize winner, Paul Lynch’s 'Prophet Song', saw a 1,500% spike in sales following his win, with more than half a million copies sold globally.

The Booker Prize trophy, presented to Harvey, was originally designed by children’s author Jan Pienkowski in 1969. This year’s ceremony also featured a life-sized replica of the trophy, named Iris after Booker winner Iris Murdoch, which will be displayed at Waterstones bookstore in London.

With PTI inputs